Ball valves may be used in a variety of applications. However, ball valves are difficult to clean. More specifically, a ball valve typically must be removed from the system in which it is installed, disassembled, hand-cleaned, and reassembled. The multi-step process of removal, disassembly, cleaning, reassembly, and reinstallation of a ball valve is prohibitively time-consuming, and also requires inventory of ball valve components.
Conventional diaphragm valves, although usually easier to clean than ball valves, are often multi-turn valves. In other words, typically an operator must manually turn a handle, handwheel, or other such rotatable component through several revolutions to operate a conventional diaphragm valve between its closed and opened positions. Such an operational requirement is prohibitively time-consuming, cumbersome, and access to the diaphragm valve may be obstructed by the configuration of the system in which it is installed.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a simplified, easy-to-clean, quick-operating valve.